Parapsychologist Par Excellence – Barry Taff

by Jolene Rae Harrington

The skeptical may challenge the reality of ghosts and other paranormal apparitions, but the extensive case studies of parapsychologist Barry Taff commands respect—even from Hollywood.Many of your Fortean film favorites, like Altered States and Logan’s Run, involved Taff either as a technical consultant or script doctor. Directors ostensibly concerned with authenticity employ Taff to advise on such elements as “proper paranormal protocols,” though they’re sometimes shocked by the results. When William Friedken and Peter Blatty, the creative team behind The Exorcist, met with Taff at the UCLA parapsychology lab, they showed him an ancient jewel-encrusted ankh they brought back from Egypt.When Taff and one of his psychokinetic subjects moved to handle the artifact, it exploded right in front of their eyes, sending the stunned pair literally running for the door!

Barry Taff is perhaps best known as the investigator of the famous “Entity” case, made into a chilling 1983 drama starring Barbara Hershey.Unbeknownst to the film’s fans, however, Taff’s own psychic powers greatly contribute to his success in ghost-hunting.These abilities were put to the test in 1969, and the astonishing results were published in Behavioral Neuropsychiatry as “A Laboratory Investigation of Telepathy: The Study of a Psychic.”Since then, numerous law enforcement and intelligence agencies have sought Taff’s services in information gathering and solving crimes.In his own investigations, Taff estimates that over 90% of the alleged hauntings turn out to be nothing out the ordinary—but that remaining 10% has yielded some fascinating stories.

Though balls of light, blood plasma dripping from walls, spontaneous fires, shaking rooms, and bouncing furniture may be all-in-a-day’s-work for Taff, not everyone accepts such bizarre occurrences so calmly. More than one of Taff’s romantic relationships disolved when other-worldly phenomenon began to manifest.“Women tend to get scared hanging around me,” Taff confesses.

Through it all, Taff retains his characteristic equanimity and scientific standards. His advanced education in psycho-physiology and bio-medical engineering, together with 34 years of field research, has led him to detect a distinct link between brain chemistry and paranormal events.The same marker may be present in alien abductions, a possible clue as to why so many close encounters include what Taff terms “paranormal fallout”—spontaneous healings, OBEs, precognitive dreams, and poltergeists. By exploring the neurological conditions of the alien and paranormal experiencers, and the emotions that accompany such events, we may begin to better understand the science behind the para-science.

“Numerous cases begin as poltergeists and evolve into UFO encounters,” explains Taff.“Whatever forces `aliens’ utilize to accomplish their tasks may be similar to energies we now call paranormal.”With intriguing evidence gleaned from over 30 years of case files, Barry Taff continues to explore such intriguing other-worldy crossovers as “The Paranormal-UFO Connection” in a series of lectures and interviews. His newest cases continue to break ground and merge science with parascience. Stay tuned for latest developments!

One of the things Barry DOES do is health readings. He is psychic–actually proven, tested, and had a paper published about his abilities. But not psychic in a woo-woo way, a la medium. His spontaneous health readings are often shocking to those at the receiving end… if you viewed Barry’s investigation at the Playboy mansion, which was documented by the Playboy channel, you’ll see his analysis of Hef’s girlfriend as the source of the poltergeist activity. He also was able to read detailed, personal health information that the young lady had not divulged. Barry is one interesting guy!

I am about to go to federal court in Orlando, Florida to prove my reincarnation by using proof that I had been gathering over the last 11 years along with my life time experiences. I was called delusional back in September 1997 by a psychiatrist after speaking with him for about 30 minutes. He never did any clinical study of my proof. I have since gotten more proof that dismisses his so-called opinion. I knew when I told him that I had too much detail information which I never made up for him to comprehend. I figured that he was just a professional skeptic. In any case I am planning to prove my reincarnation as a fact. I was looking to get in touch with people who are experienced in the field of parapsychology and especially reincarnation.

Barry we lost contact a few years ago. I contacted you about a possible poltergeist or entity in mu home.You were in Westwood at the time.I am the adult video actress Dominique Simone.I would like to speak to you